Welcome! Thank you for expressing interest in hosting a Five Star Horsemanship clinic. I look forward to creating great memories and inspiring people to be active in many ways with their horses. I offer a few choices of clinic themes but the most popular is my extreme trail clinics. These clinics actively combine trying out new challenges with building confidence for both horse and rider. The advantage of this type of clinic is participants can apply what they are learning about horse behavior and equitation immediately and see results! My slogan Riding Made Simple says it all about my unique style. Keep your activities with your horse engaging and fun by learning simply and efficiently. I answer the why questions about large concepts in easy to learn explanations and teach foundation exercises to hone new skills that can be applied day to day. Participants leave my clinics excited and confident with concepts to practice in different riding situations. Have fun, smile wide and enjoy the ride! Kim McClelland Five Star Horsemanship 5starhorsemanship.com 425-248-3861 Riding Made Simple
Riding Made Simple Kim McClelland Kim McClelland has been living and breathing horses since she was 4 years old. Throughout her childhood, in Texas, she rode Quarter Horses, Paints, and even Mules in western games, pleasure shows, rodeo parades and trail rides. Her riding skills were honed while helping on her grandfather s cattle ranch. Always striving to practice and expand great horsemanship, she studied Natural Horsemanship as a student of Greg Eliel over a ten year span, was a certified Centered Riding coach for 7 years and has studied with Sally Haney, Elaine Meredith-Steele, Tom Nagel, and Bill Richey in both English and Western disciplines. Kim s unique style has been influenced by Buck Brannaman, Leslie Desmond and Ken McNabb. Using this experience, she has taught and trained for the last 20 years with the ability to answer the why questions, bridge the similarities of different riding disciplines and build confidence in both horse and rider. Kim saw an opportunity to combine her vast experience in 2011 when she was introduced to Mark Bolender and the sport of Extreme Mountain Trail. She incorporated the sport with Mark s help into her training and instructing and has never looked back. She is now one of the first IMTCA judges in the country and gives lessons/clinics about the art of mountain trail and the value of cross-training across multiple disciplines. She found the sport to be an incredible and fun way to continue building confidence and partnership. As an instructor and trainer, Kim shares her experience through articles and other writing projects as well as judging local shows and teaching clinics. She trains horses with concern and respect for the horse first using her understanding of horse behavior. She owns an ancient Arabian gelding and a sassy Paint mare and lives north of Seattle, WA with her family and is the owner of Five Star Horsemanship based in Snohomish, WA. www.5starhorsemanship.com
Requirements for a clinic: 1. A covered arena. This is only necessary because of inclement weather. I would prefer to be outside but clinics are too easily rained out. 60 X 120 is the smallest allowed arena size for a clinic. The larger the arena the better. 2. Someone at the hosting facility needs to take reservations and deposits. It is easier this way because I do not have the information on availability of stalls for overnighters, facility rules or other specifics. The upside is that the facility gets the cash flow and gets paid up front. 3. The rent on the barn/arena, if there is any, should not be excessive. 4. If the host has an email list of local horse people and/or clubs, an announcement of the clinic needs to be sent out. Social media is a great place to get the word out as well. I can provide a flyer in PDF format if needed. 5. Clinics are 2+ days long. The format is 3 hours in morning/ 1 hour lunch/ 3 hours in afternoon with a combination of ground work and riding. Clinics need at least 8 rider participants. The maximum is 12 but could be more depending upon the arena size. There is no limit on auditors except for what the facility can hold. 6. The host is given a free spot in the clinic. As payment for the work done, this spot is often filled by the person who takes reservations and deposits, but that is up to the host. 7. My flat fee for a 2 day clinic is $1400. Expenses such as hotel (although I can stay in someone s home), fuel and meals are paid by the host for at least 3 nights/ 2 days. Clinics are typically 2 days if I have traveled and can be more with an additional daily fee of $500 per day. Sometimes a lesson day is booked the day after a 2 day clinic for private lessons and is an option. The host can set the price of the clinic per person at whatever price is feasible for the area and covers clinic costs. 8. Clinics use obstacles and need to be provided by the host: 10-20 ground poles, 20 cones (inexpensive soccer cones work great), a bridge and 2 blue tarps are recommended. Other trail style obstacles such as platforms, cowboy curtains, barrels and more can be incorporated as well. 9. Auditor fees are given to the host. This is a great way for the host to gain back money from clinic expenses. Recommended auditor fee is $20-30 per person. 10. A $500 deposit is required to lock in a date. This deposit is nonrefundable if a refund is requested within 120 days of the clinic. Kim McClelland Riding Made Simple
Five Star Horsemanship is based in Snohomish, WA. Kim teaches and trains at the Grateful Pine Horse Park but travels for clinics, lesson days and demonstrations.
Kim is a judge for the International Mountain Trail Challenge Association (IMTCA.org). Above: Kim receives thank you certificate from Mark and Lee Bolender, founders of the IMTCA. Below: Judging a fall challenge at Bolender Horse Park.
Kim has been teaching/training for 20+ years and has been around horses since early childhood. Her passion resonates while sharing her vast experience in her horse training, private lessons and clinics.
Kim has studied under and been influenced by many great horse men and horse women. Above left: Kim with Greg Eliel Above right: Bill Richey and Karen Swanson Middle: Sally Haney, Karen Irland, Elaine Meredith- Steele Below: A few of the Five Star group with Buck Brannaman.